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Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has once again opened up about the challenges he faced while directing the 2007 sports drama 'Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal'. In a recent interview, Agnihotri criticised actor John Abraham’s performance in the film, calling it “mediocre,” and revealed that the actor was brought on board because of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. He also spoke about tensions on set due to the breakup of lead pair John Abraham and Bipasha Basu during the film’s production.

In a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, Agnihotri said that the production house UTV didn’t have faith in his writing skills at the time and was more keen on collaborating with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, despite the creative mismatch.

John Abraham and Bipasha Basu's breakup affected the making of the film

“But there were many problems during that time. In the middle of it all, Bipasha Basu and John Abraham broke up during the making of the film. When you're in love, you have to deal with one set of issues, and after a breakup, a whole new set of problems arises. So, it became very difficult for me to manage everything. Even though I was the director of the film, the entire system was functioning based on the intelligence of a very mediocre actor," the filmmaker said.

Agnihotri criticises John Abraham

While Agnihotri did not shy away from calling the film “good for its time” and acknowledged its chart-topping music, he was particularly critical of how certain casting decisions were made — especially the inclusion of John Abraham in the lead role.

“Everyone was like, ‘Let’s take John, he is a footballer. That’s how he became a part of the film. But you tell me, if it's a film about football, what should an actor do? We called a premium league coach to train Arshad Warsi, Raj Joshi, and they all put their soul in preparing, but in all of John’s scenes, we had to shoot his face and feet separately.”

Agnihotri contrasted John’s approach with that of Arshad Warsi, who he said immersed himself fully into the role, underwent intense training, and never demanded easier dialogues or special treatment.

“And Arshad had given his all for that film. He questioned me on things, he didn't tell me, ‘reduce my dialogues’ Why? Because you can’t say them at once? You can’t say five lines of dialogues in rhythm at once. This is your problem. Then why should these actor be given so much money?”

The filmmaker also clarified past reports that suggested Anurag Kashyap was sidelined during production. According to Vivek, it was Anurag who convinced John to join the project, despite claims that he wasn’t present during the London schedule.

About Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal

Released in 2007, 'Dhan Dhana Dhan' Goal was set against the backdrop of Southall, UK, and revolved around a fictional South Asian football club striving to reclaim its lost legacy. While the film attempted to tackle serious themes like racism and identity through the lens of sport, it received a mixed response from both critics and audiences.

Vivek Agnihotri's next

Currently, Vivek Agnihotri is gearing up for his next directorial — 'The Bengal Files: Right to Life'. The film is set in the politically charged Bengal of the 1940s and features a star-studded cast including Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Govind Namdev. It is slated for a theatrical release on September 5, 2025.